slovknigfandomcom-20200215-history
INTERSLAVIC alphabet and pronunciation
Any questions about alphabet or pronunciation? Just ask in the INTERSLAVIC Facebook Group located here INTERSLAVIC uses two alphabet styles - "Latin" and "Cyrillic". The Latin version has 23 "basic" letters, 8 caron/haček accented letters - 5 of which are written as a kind of small letter ' v''' ' atop the letter: (č', 'ň', 'ř', 'š''' and ž''') and 3 are written as apostrophes after the letter: (ď''' , ľ', 'ť). The sounds represented by these letters, while common among all of the Slavic languages, are only familiar to English language speakers in 3 instances: č', 'š and ž'''. Because many website forums and browsers or non-Slavic keyboards do not accommodate recognition of the accented ''caron/haček letters, the alternative proper way to represent them in INTERSLAVIC is follows: For č', 'š and ž''' - the letters '''c, s, z followed by the special letter "x"- cx, sx and zx (e.g.: [[School|'Š'''kola]] becomes '''Sx'kola). The accented letters ň, ř, ď, ľ and ť''' become '''"nj", "rj", "dj", "lj" and "tj". The INTERSLAVIC Cyrilic alphabet is based upon either the '"Serbian" or "Russian" Cyrillic alphabets - or a combination of both: The SERBIAN CYRILLIC ALPHABET includes the Latin letter "J", which in English is represented by the sound of "Y" as in "Y'''es". The '''RUSSIAN CYRILLIC ALPHABET includes two letters which are not in the Serbian Cyrillic alphabet: "Ю" and "Я", which in English are pronounced like the sound of the letter "U" (or the word "you") and the sound represented by "YA", respectively (in the Serbian Cyrillic alphabet, these would be represented as "JU" and "JA", respectively). INTERSLAVIC does not use the letter "q" unless foreign language words are quoted. Pronunciations Except for "e" and "i", the rest of the letters are usually pronounced as shown in the table to the right. Thus, the pronunciation of the letters "e" and "i" are the choice of the speaker. In addition, there will be many different pronunciations of all Interslavic words - because each speaker will bring his or her own language accent. This should be fully expected. However, the model for most Slavic langauges is that the penultimate syllable the syllable before the last syllable is stressed. This is the same accent as in the Polish, Italian or Esperanto languages. However, please take note that Interslavic will primarily be used as a "written" medium - over the internet, in books, brochures and signage. Letter "e" The letter “e”, while “officially” pronounced like the “e” in “metal”, may also be pronounced like the sound “ye” of “yes” – which in Interslavic is also represented by the combined letters “je”. Letter "i" The letter "i" 'is officially pronounced like the '"i" in "mach'i'''ne"; and for most English-speakers, this will be its primary pronunciation. However, the letter '"i"' may also be pronounced like various different sounds that other Slavic languages have for other letters which are similar to the letter '"i"' but are nonetheless different - represented in the Slavic languages by such letter symbols as: '" и, й, і, í y ý, ї "' and '" ы "' - and also sometimes the combination letters '" ji ". Accented Letters In order to accommodate a greater use of certain sounds more commonly used Slavic languages than in English, Interslavic, like all Slavic languages, has augmented its Latin alphabet with 3 accented letters - '''č, š''' and '''ž - that are used alone or in letter combinations to represent 5 sounds that are depicted in English by "ch" as in "ch'ur'ch" (Č'č'), "j" ''as in "'j'ump" ('DŽ dž'), ''"sh" as in "sh'''ip" (Šš'), ''"shch" as in "fre'sh ch'eese" (ŠČ šč or special letter "w") and "zh" as in "plea's'''ure" ('Žž'). The accent mark over these letters - technically called "diacritics" or "diacritical marks" - are sometimes referred to as a "caron" or "breve" or "upside-down hat" in English, and as a '"haček"' or '"hacxek"''' in Interslavic. These accented letters are the "official" standard in Interslavic. Category:Learning INTERSLAVIC in English